Shaft-tug.



UNITED STATES PATENT (")FIIIcIrv THOMAS w. mlvrns,` or ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR To IIIMsELr AND f y FRANK T. LONG.

SHAFT-Tuo.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 634,720, dated October 10, 1899.

Application filed July Z2, 1898. Serial No. 686,559. (No model.)

g To @ZZ whom zit may concern/:

4shaft-tug constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention and also includingl a preferred form of buckle made integral with the tug. Fig. 2 is an outside elevation looking inthe direction indicated by the arrow 2 in Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is an inside elevation looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 3 in Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation showing the shaft in cross-section and illustrating one style of hitch up. liigs.l 5 and 6 are views analogous to Fig. 4 and showing two other styles of hitch up. Fig. is anl elevation of the' buckle-tongue.

lReferring to the drawings in detail, S is the shaft-tug. Y V i 9 and 10 are strap-openings at the inner side of the shaft through the band-ring.

11 and 12 are the strap-openings at the outer side of the shaft through the shaft-tug. 13 is the box-loop, formed integral with the shaft-tug. Y I f 14 is a slot extending from the upper outer strap-opening 1l into the bottom of the boxloop. f

15 is a recess in the lower face of the upper wall of the box-loop.

16 is a buckle-tongue having a neck 17 to operate in the slot l4'and the tapered shank 1S to operate in the recess 15. The head l19 'is formed upon the opposite end of the neck 17 from the tapered shank 18. The tongue is inserted into its position in the box-loopby passing one of its ends thro ugh the strapopening 11 and then sliding it into the slot 14.

The portion 20 of the shaft-tug which lies between the strap-openings 9 and l0 is offset away from the shaft, as required, to form a recess in which the girth-strap may lie out of contact With'the shaft, as shown in Fig. l and in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

The ordinary loose hitch up is illustrated in Fig. 1. The lower' end of the back-strap 21 and the upper end ofthe girth 22 are inserted through the box-loop. Then the buckle-A tongue 16 is inserted through both ends of said straps andy then drawninto position, thus securing the straps to the buckle and to the shaft-tug. The girth 22 passes downwardly and inwardlyT through the strap-opening 9 and then downwardly through the strap-opening 10. This style of hitch up leaves the shaft free to slide through the shaft-tug. The taper of thebuckle-tongue causes the back-strap 2lV to draw upwardly against the lower face of the upper wall of the box-loop, and thereby greatly lessens the strain, which tends to tear the strap. It is found by actual practice rthat' a strap will stand in this position a great deal longer than when secured by an ordinary buckle. In Fig. 4 the girth 22 passes through 'the strap-opening 9 and then around the shaft and through the strap-opening 10, thus Inak-v iug a very tight and rigid hitch up for fancy driving. In Fig. 5 the girth passes through the strap-opening 9, then over the shaft, and through the strap-opening 12. This will keep the shaft from rattling in the shaft-tug. In Fig.v 6 the girth-strap 22 passes through the strap-opening 9, over the shaft, through the strap opening '11, then back through the strap-openin g 12, under th e sh aft,and through the strap-opening 10.

The hitch up shown in Fig. 1 is suitable for heavy wagons. The hitch up shown in Fig. 5 is suitable for buggies and light wagons. The hitchup shown in Fig. 4 locks the shaft tug to the shaft and is suitable for light and threaded through the shaft-tug to bind the 95 shaft iu position, substantially as described.

THOMAS W. DAVIES.

Witnesses:

CLINTON L. CALDWELL, SEMER G.,WEI.L'S. 

